Russia launched a major assault on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, with a missile attack early Thursday, injuring at least eight people and causing damage to several residential and industrial buildings, according to The New York Post, citing local officials. The attack, reportedly the largest in weeks, resulted in loud blasts heard across the city starting around 5 a.m., with air raid alerts ending at 6:10 a.m. The extent of the damage is still unclear.
Ukrainian air defense systems attempted to repel the attack, and the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia had launched a barrage of weapons, including hypersonic and ballistic missiles. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated on the Telegram messaging app that missile debris brought down by air defense systems had fallen in various parts of the city, sparking fires in at least three residential buildings and parking lots. Emergency responders were deployed to address the situation.
The air assault occurred as Russian forces continued ground attacks at multiple locations along the more than 600-mile frontline. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy emphasized the need for military aid to defend against Russian missile attacks, stating, “Kharkiv needs an adequate number of air defense systems; the Sumy region needs it, Chernihiv region and all our regions suffering from Russian terror need it.” He urged international partners to provide air defense systems to protect lives.
Zelenskyy’s call for assistance came after hosting White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan for talks in Kyiv. Sullivan expressed confidence in bipartisan support for additional military aid for Ukraine, despite delays in Congress, stating, “We are confident we will get a strong bipartisan vote in the House for an assistance package for Ukraine and we will get that money out the door […] It’s already taken too long … I’m not going to make predictions about exactly when this will get done.”